I am writing this account in order to assure that there is correct information across the board for news outlets. Please, out of respect for the victims and the situation, do not take any of this story out of context or assume creative license with the facts mentioned.

On April 20th, myself and a group of friends met in the parking lot of Loveland ski area to enjoy some backcountry skiing. The previous evening, we had held a benefit for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and raised a substantial amount of money for the organization. We had an avalanche discussion highlighting some of the current dangers in the touchy Colorado backcountry. Joe Timlin, who was the organizer of the gathering, was especially concerned with safety of all backcountry travelers and spoke to this matter at the event.

The country’s leading avalanche researchers — Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and Dale Atkins, president of the American Avalanche Association — sat down with The Denver Post this week to discuss avalanche safety and education.